Pacific Palisades reservoir may go offline again nearly a year after deadly fire

LOS ANGELES - A critical water reservoir in Pacific Palisades could be taken offline again as early as next month, nearly one year after the devastating Palisades Fire left parts of the community without adequate water pressure to fight the flames.

What we know:

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is planning to replace the floating cover at the Santa Ynez Reservoir. The reservoir was offline during the January 2025 fire, when some fire hydrants ran dry as the blaze destroyed nearly 7,000 structures.

Residents say learning the reservoir could again be drained — for as long as nine months — has reignited fears and frustration.

"It’s frustrating and annoying," said Hunter Simon, who lost his home in the Palisades Fire. "It concerns me about the safety of my family."

LADWP completed emergency repairs to the reservoir’s floating cover in June, allowing the facility to return to service.  However, just months after the repair, the cover has again shown damage, prompting plans to drain the reservoir and take it offline for an estimated nine months, beginning around the one-year anniversary of the fire.

"It’s tone-deaf, to say the least, on the eve of one of the most destructive fires in our county’s history," Simon said. "To take down the reservoir again for another nine months under these circumstances makes no sense."

Justin Skaggs, a Palisades business owner and utility consultant, questioned whether the fix would last. "Is it even going to be usable in nine months?" Skaggs said. "The last repair lasted only [a handful of] months."

To reduce fire risks while the reservoir is offline, LADWP plans to install a temporary six-mile, 10-inch high-pressure hose line from water tanks in Topanga. The line would be used to pump water into the Palisades area in the event of a fire.

What they're saying:

Residents, however, remain skeptical.

"It’s fire season right now. It’s really windy," Skaggs said. "We want a full reservoir for firefighting. We don’t want a garden hose."

Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park also expressed frustration, calling the floating cover a repeated failure and urging a permanent solution.

"The one we have now has already been damaged, repaired and damaged again," Park said. "The long-term solution is a permanent concrete cover, but that is still several years away."

The other side:

In a statement to FOX 11, LADWP said the reservoir is currently filled to its normal operating level and has remained in service since June 25, 2025. Officials said replacing the floating cover is a necessary interim step to prevent unexpected tears, protect water quality and ensure compliance with drinking water standards.

LADWP said it has ordered a new cover and is in the planning and procurement stages of the project, with public outreach expected ahead of construction in early 2026. The department added it is working closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department to ensure redundant water supplies remain available during the replacement process.

Santa Ynez Reservoir will remain in service until the new cover is ready, contractors are in place and contingency measures are established, according to LADWP.

For residents like Simon, the explanation offers little comfort.

"Why do they need to take it down for nine months just to repair a tarp?" he said. "It doesn’t make any sense."